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'A Monster Calls' Liam Neeson to Star in J.A. Bayona's Fantasy Drama

In March, we learned that director J.A. Bayona would be taking on the fantasy dramaA Monster Calls before he moved in to direct the Paramount Pictures sequel to World War Z. The story follows a young boy dealing with his mother's debilitating illness and the bullying of his classmates by escaping into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales. Focus Features already has the film slated to hit theaters in October of 2016, and now Screen Daily has word that Liam Neeson will be playing one of the monsters in the fantasy world, a monster that transforms from a yew tree in the boy's backyard and narrates his various stories.

As one might expect with all the metaphorical monsters and fantasy escapes, the backyard storytelling monster's stories eventually help the boy confront the hardships in his life. This sounds like it has the potential to be as great as something like Pan's Labyrinth. Felicity Jones (Like Crazy) also has some sort of role in the film, but we're not sure if she's playing the debilitated mother or not (she seems a little young for that role). Either way, with the screenplay being adapted by Patrick Ness from his own novel, this is bound to be a stylish and cool fantasy coming-of-age story. Interested?

Reader Feedback - 6 Comments

1

I remember when this movie was called "where the wild things are"... and came out several years ago...

Alex on May 8, 2014

2

You should read the book before you make generalised comments. The book is beautiful, original, and holds its own alongside Where The Wild Things Are. The film version has the potential to do the same.

jon on Aug 7, 2014

3

Liam is god.

Rock n Rollllll on May 8, 2014

4

Damn it! I read that as "A Monster Called Liam Neeson" and thought it was going to be something awesome.

Astroboy3000 on May 8, 2014

5

I want to see some real stakes. No dreamy bull S.

DAVIDPD on May 8, 2014

6

My students read it and loved the story. The monster doesn't carry the story, the boy with all the emotional weight and pain carries the reader. THAT is what they need to land for the movie, a kid with range and depth or it will fall flat.